When Fr Edgar Salomone was sent to Mġarr in late 1920 as vice-parish priest, the popular narrative was that he was not going to last long in that parish. He was the son of a medical doctor, an alumni of St Ignatius Jesuit College, a close collaborator of the Sliema Salesians, founder of the Mosta Boys’ Scouts and an honoured World War I military chaplain (Deguara A., L-Imġarr, il-Ħajja u l-Ħidma ta’ Niesu mill-Qedem sa Llum, 1999).

How could it be possible for the cosmopolitan priest to fit in rural Mġarr and in “the most isolated of Maltese villages” (Hilary, B. (ed.), The Malta Year Book, 1965, p41)? For Fr Salomone, however, it was a fresh pasture scenario. He immediately fell in love with the village and its people and he wanted to help them.

The first school

What struck him most was the lack of education that prevailed among the parishioners. The Malta Government Census of 1921 confirms this, showing that only 1% were literate in the foreign languages (English and/or Italian) and only 4% in Maltese. Fr Salomone saw this as an opportunity to start turning the tables at Mġarr.

He began to teach in a barber’s shop, which used to be open only on Saturdays, for a group of men who wished to go abroad in search of a better life. At the same time, he worked hard with the honourable members of the self-government bestowed to Malta in 1921, to have an educational institution functioning in the heart of the village.

Less than three years after his arrival, a school was inaugurated in September 1923 (Cilia, Ġ.A., L-Imġarr matul iż-Żminijiet – X’Naf u X’ Niftakar Dwaru, 1998). This school is still serving the children of Mġarr.

Being highly fluent in the English language, in command of a powerful pen and an esteemed friend of the political class, he succeeded in having all this done

The new parish church

To the great joy of the Imġarrin, Fr Edgar, as he wished to be called, was appointed parish priest of Mġarr in 1931. Among many other tasks, he had to carry on and fittingly accomplish the great work initiated in the building of the parish church.

He knew that the financial means of the poor parishioners, however generous, were stretched to their limits. Being acquainted with numerous friends, very astutely, he opened up the church project to them. He sent a postcard, on one side of which appeared a photo with the half-built church as it stood in 1932, and on the other side, while quoting the Bible, he made a plea for help: “I am burdened  with a crushing urgent need of £4,000 to complete a church begun 22 years ago by my predecessor” (Salomone, HELP!, 1932).

Contributions poured in and the building of the church could continue with new vigour. By 1939, he had collected £5,643 (ibid).

It was also at this time that the dome was brought to a finish, just in time before the outbreak of World War II. The Times of Malta announced the event: “Mġarr will be en fête tomorrow, and quite justifiably the good villagers will be truly overjoyed at seeing at long last their church being blessed” (‘Farmer’s church at Mġarr’, Times of Malta, August 12, 1939). The church was blessed with all the ceremonials by its first parish priest, Mgr Ġlormu Chetcuti, as the archbishop’s delegate. In 1948, the lantern of the church was completed.

Subsequently, Fr Edgar continued to donate sacred ornaments to the church, most prominent of which is a mosaic, a replica of Guido Reni’s painting which embellishes its frontispiece.

The transformation of Mġarr centre

Passport photo of Fr Edgar Salomone, issued by the Passport Office in 1935.

Parallel to the church project, Fr Edgar was conceiving another dream. Late in 1933, he began a tenacious and persistent correspondence with the Governor of Malta, pleading with the authorities to have a complete overhaul of the area in front of the church (Deguara, Mons Alwiġ, L-Imġarr il-Ħajja u l-Ħidma ta’ Niesu mill-Qedem sa Llum). This meant the demolition of some old farmhouses, the levelling up of the parvis, two-thirds of which was built on government land, and the demolition and straightening of the new streets surrounding the parvis.

Being highly fluent in the English language, in command of a powerful pen and an esteemed friend of the political class, he succeeded in having all this done. It was a huge project that embellished the village beyond recognition, at the cost of £1,800 (the equivalent of €4,194) (Deguara, Mons Alwiġ, L-Imġarr il-Ħajja u l-Ħidma ta’ Niesu mill-Qedem sa Llum). Sir Harry Luke, then acting governor, was particularly supportive.

Fr Edgar’s dream was not over yet. He wished to regale the people of Mġarr with the first Municipio in Malta. In October 1935, he wrote to the governor to have a clinic, a residence for the district medical officer and a police station all housed in one building. Within a year, these premises were built and serving Mġarr residents. The cost of this project amounted to £1,500 (€3,495) (Annalium Scriptor, 1946). After almost 60 years, this municipio has become the seat of the local council.

It was a great day for Mġarr when, on June 11, 1936, Governor Sir Charles Bonham Carter, Sir Harry Luke and many other dignitaries visited Mġarr to see and inaugurate the new square. With the main street and square elegantly decked with Anglo-Maltese flags, the parishioners, “in a charming and simple way” (Manduca, J., 2004, The Bonham Carter Diaries 1936-1940. PEG: San Ġwann, Malta, p86-87), welcomed the distinguished guests.

Sir Harry Luke praised Fr Edgar and said: “His indefatigable zeal and energy on behalf of his flock had won for him the esteem and support of the authorities.”

Fr Edgar wanted to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of King George V, which happened a year earlier, and named the square Misraħ il-Ġublew tal-Fidda tar-Re Ġorġ V; since then it has always been known as Jubilee Esplanade.

Fr Edgar the pastor

Fr Edgar strived to inculcate in his parishioners deep spiritual and moral values. For a long time alone at Mġarr, he had to perform all the duties a priest is required to do. Besides, he gave lessons to his parishioners in historical, social, moral and liturgical subjects.

Through his efforts and support, the Catholic Action Ċirkoli and Oratorju became important places for character formation for the emerging community of Mġarr. He was also instrumental in the installation of electricity and an improved bus service at Mġarr and telephony in homes and workshops.

He also organised social and educational events that would take the villagers, children and adults out of Mġarr, to other places of interest in Malta, indeed a glorious treat in those times. When misfortune struck, he was always by the side of those in distress. Parishioners turned to him for support to have medical assistance, to achieve what by right was theirs, or to wriggle out of trouble.

Fr Edgar was a pioneer in public relations. He invited dignitaries to the village and wrote letters and articles in newspapers with the sole aim to make the needs of the village known and have them addressed. He thus managed to create Mġarr and to endow it with a unique identity.

Herbert Ganado, who was present among many other distinguished guests for the imposing ceremony to celebrate the 25 years of Fr Edgar at Mġarr in November 1947, said that, within a relatively short period of time, the priest succeeded to change Mġarr to a miniature of civilisation (Ganado, H., 1947, ‘Jien Inħobb Nitkellem Magħkom’, Leħen is-Sewwa, 22/11/1947, p4).

Fr Edgar passed away on August 22, 1969, at his home, the Osmanieh, named after a battleship on which he was torpedoed in World War I. He bequeathed this house to his successors, since then becoming the Domus Curialis of the parish. He was interred in his private tomb in the local cemetery to be with those he most liked to be with.

Lina Deguara is an educator from Mġarr.